The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-15
TALKS ON THE TARIFF.
How the Tariff Operated to the Mind of
Man from Denver Who Has Travelled.

How the Tariff Operated to the Mind of .
Man from Denver Who Has Travelled.
New York Press.
Mr.. S. S. Harper, of Denver. Col, an extern
sive owner and manager of mines does the tariff
talking for the Press day. He is now visit
ing this city. In the course of his business hs
has been obliged to visit Europe and has resided
for number of years III London.
While in that city he instituted a comparison
between the price of several articles of every
day use in England and this country. which, in
view of the statement in President Cleveland's
message that the heaviest burden of the protect
i've tariff falls upon the consumer, is interesting
reading.
A reporter called upon Mr.. Harper this morn
ing and asked him to make the result of his com
parison public through the columns of ths
Press. He readily consented and said:
Upon my first trip abroad was strongly ad-
yised by my friends in this country to lay in a
stock of clothing. ETC., in London, as those arti
Giles could be bought very much cheaper there
than they could in this country 1 did as adj
vised, and bought a large amount of under
clothing, clothing, neckties. etc. Some of the
underclothing thus purchased become lost III
going from London to Denver. and wishing to
replace some pieces. L called upon a dealer in
gentlemen's wear in Denver. / desired to OBJ
tain goods as like as possible to those had
bought in London. and, much to my surprise.
found that I could duplicate the London under
wear for a shade less in price.
1.-The Denver goods SO closely reSembled the
English articles that the clerk could only tell
them apart by the firms private marks This
rather shook my faith in the statements SO freely
made by free traders and tariff -for-revenue
men, that the consumer was taxed the amount
of the tariff.
81 then began a series of Investigations and
found that most of the articles 1 had purchased
in London, although not such laboring
and farmers would buy. cost about the same
they do in this country.
'For instance, found that ready-made boots
such as had paid ten and twelve shillings 1925
and $3) for in London could be bought in Denver
for s. 80 and 50, just about the same thing. as
Il also discovered that could buy better
ready-made white shirt in Denver for 81 than /
could in London for 81. 30. and as the proof of
one of the 81 Denver shirts and wore it alter
nately with the London so article, with the
result that the American garment outwore the
English shirt 80 per cent.
In regard to clothing it is very hard to make
comparison. Most of the clothing by
workmen and the like in Denver is ready-made,
and myself invariably purchase such clothing.
In London, however. no one but the very poor
est classes wear ready-made clothing, which is
very rough and clumsily made. whereas ready
made clothing In Denver is very presentable-
The custom-made clothes in Denver cost In some
cases nearly double what they do in London.
but the cause of this is readily apparent upon
little investigation. tailor in Denver receives
fully twice much for making coat as Lon
don tailor does, while the general makeup
and appearance of the Denver garment Is far
superior to that of the London article
.On my next trip to London turned my at
tention to agricultural implements and COM
pared their prices in England with those in this
Now have had no practical experience
a farmer and have had nothing but my obserya-
ton to guide me.
Il discovered that the cheapest stubble pillow
of from three to seven inches for two horses
costs in England from "a to f5 1920 to S25,
while in this country the price of the same ar
ticle is % per cent. less. self binding har
vester in England costs from ESQ to f55 $3.50
TO $275) and a threshlng machine. exclusive of
horse power, brings all the way from fl20 to
f14O $500 to $700). whereas 1 can buy the same
and much better implements In this country at
one-quarter of these prices.
IAN ordinary farm wagon in England costs
from EOS to f27 (sl25 to $l35), and it is at that
such clumsy and heavy arrangement that no
American farmer would have it on his place,
can buy in Denver for from $75 to $50 q wagon
which in my judgement is far more satisfactory
in every respect
take the matter of shove1s. In Denver l
can purchase far better shovel for from &c
cents to 81 than I can in England for the same
money while I found that small quantities of
nails cost as much in London as far better ones
in every respect do in Denver.
81 found it much the same in many more ar
ticles, and am firmly convinced that in spite of
our tariff the necessaries of life are cheap in
this country as they in England"